John 16

The grand fact of Christianity is that the Holy Ghost is down here-the foundation of course the cross of Christ, the revelation of the Father's love in Christ. There are three positions in which we see Christ.
First. On the cross accomplishing redemption. Second. At the right hand of the Father, and the Holy Ghost down here.
Third. Coming again to receive us to Himself.
What we have now is not the accomplishing of the prophecies, except the Holy Ghost poured out. 1 Peter 1:10 gives us the order. We have the sufferings which are fulfilled, and the glories which are not fulfilled. It is the Holy Ghost come down from heaven, and the thing reported to us, not fulfilled. The Church is one, and she stands between the sufferings and the glory.
Heb. 2:5. Here we get Christ crowned with glory and honor, but whilst He is there the Holy Ghost is sent down here.
Union in incarnation is false and pernicious. He was perfect man, and the only one the Holy Ghost could and did sea).; but after He had taken His place in heaven, the Holy Ghost is sent down, and then we get union (Acts 2:33).
First. He is the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world.
Second. He baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost having come, it is all over with the world as it is.
God has tried man in every way that He could command. First, innocent; second, under law; third, sending His Son, and they killed Him. The world put an end to itself.
You cannot honestly say Father, unless you know you are a child. People do, and they are sons, but they ought to know it before they cry Abba, Father. Christ was the Creator, but He did not come till incarnation. The Holy Ghost spoke through the prophets and quickened souls, but He never came till redemption was accomplished and Christ had ascended. In the gospel of John sins is not the subject, but sin.
As God said to Cain, " Where is thy brother?" so He asks the world, "What have you done to my Son? " and the world answers, " Crucified Him." That is man.
The Holy Ghost convinces or demonstrates to the world its sin, as above. Second, He demonstrates righteousness. Man's? No, God's righteousness. We have just to believe what it says. God is always righteous. How is it demonstrated? " Because I go to my Father." Christ glorified God on the cross (John 8.), and God glorifies Him at His right hand. That is the demonstration of God's righteousness. You might have had God's righteousness, man set aside, and no love, or you might have had man's idea of love forgiving sins, but where would righteousness be? But in the cross you have both.
What have we got then? When He glorified God on the cross He was made sin for us. Then the Redeemer when glorified wants His redeemed. Thus I am made the righteousness of God in Christ.
Third. There is demonstration of judgment. The proof that Satan is the prince of this world, is the cross, and as such he is judged; judgment not executed yet, but he is judged. Why is Christ gone away and the Holy Ghost here? Because Christ has been crucified, We have not the Bridegroom, but we have the Holy Ghost, showing us the things we are to have, and so we cry, " Come, Lord Jesus." Do you believe that Christ will not be satisfied till He has you in glory? Then you want Him every moment. Our condition is, having the Holy Ghost. Our proper hope as Christians is, waiting for His coming. Not waiting is the unbelief of a fallen church. People say, "He comes when I die." Does He? I read that when He comes I shall be raised, but you say when He comes you die. It is unbelief.
Ques. Explain " in Romans and in Ephesians?
Ans. They are the same thing. In Romans you get the fact merely, but in Ephesians you get the counsels of God regarding us as in Christ Ques. If I am dead in Romans, and not raised, how am I in Christ?
Ans. You reckon yourself dead. In Colossians I am dead in my sins, not alive in my sins. So Christ came, and, so to speak, became dead and then rose and raised me with Himself, but not in heavenly places. In Eph. 1 am put in heavenly places. Leviticus, first and second chapters, apply only to Christ.
Ques. Do we get the Jordan in Romans?
Ans. No.,
Ques. Do we not get the Jordan in the 4th of Romans?
Ans. Only as far as death-not risen.
Ques. Do we get the Red Sea in the 4th of Romans? Ans. No. In the Red Sea Christ died for me. In Rom. 4 it is bearing my sins.
Ques. In Romans do we not get experience, such as joy in God, that is the result of resurrection?
Ans. No. We have joy in God in consequence of being justified.
Ques. State the difference between verses 9, 10 and 11 of Rom. 8?
Ans. When the Holy Ghost dwells in me, I am not in the responsibility to answer for myself, Christ has answered for me, and I know my place by the Holy Ghost given to me. Second, I get the Spirit of Christ; that is, I am characterized by the Christ Spirit. Third, my body will be raised too. But while here we are to present our bodies a living sacrifice. My body is to be like a carcass, moved about like a stick.
Ques. Last night, when you were ministering to us. were you like a carcass moved about like a stick?
Ans. Whatever was John Darby-yes. The Lord uses our affections and minds. Whatever I am as a man He uses, but He must use it. If I use it, it is naught. The old man and the flesh are synonymous terms. The affections are all right. God created them; but if the will mixes itself' in it is sin.
Ques. If you live after the flesh you will die?
Ans. That is abstract. It is a truth.
Ques. Is that an unconverted man?
Ans. Do not bring a thought into a text that is not there, but get out of it what thought is there.
The liberty is that I have died out of the state in which I was, and now I am in God. The natural man must either be lawless or under the law, or must die from under it. After that I find certain things in me, for I am a responsible being, but that is not me. I am dead and out of it. I have got Christ for nay life. I can then take hold of Christ's death as my death; so I am not in the flesh at all. The man who confesses sin as if it was imputable is not free.
Ques. Must I not be holy?
Ans. Yes; but if you are making holiness your life, it is not Christ, and you are responsible to represent Christ.
There is no intercession for the sins of a believer, In the Hebrews the intercession is to maintain my place free from sins. God could say, " I have not seen iniquity in Jacob;" yet the Spirit of God in Moses was seeing nothing but sins in them. You cannot get the place by duties, but you get duties by the place.
Ques. How are we to get power?
Ans. 2 Cor. 12:2-10. Infirmities are not power, but they bring power when a man is thoroughly put down. As long as I act in nature that is not power. Moses had great natural ability, and he had to flee and be at the back side of the desert.
Ques. Why do you call sin in a brother failure, and not sin?
Ans. It is both, and worse in a brother than another.
Ques. Why is it that in the Hebrews, where we are looked upon as having no conscience of sins, we yet come to obtain mercy?
Ans. It is always mercy—Epaphroditus when sick obtained mercy, and Paul also.